RE: [CR]NOW:Universal brake levers WAS:PR Bianchi on eBay

(Example: Production Builders:Peugeot:PY-10)

From: "Kevin Stimpson" <kevins@sydnessarchitects.com>
To: <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>, "'Classic Rendezvous'" <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: RE: [CR]NOW:Universal brake levers WAS:PR Bianchi on eBay
In-Reply-To: <3DDBEAA9.ADAEAB4@earthlink.net>
Date: Wed, 20 Nov 2002 16:42:43 -0500

The Universal levers on my 53 Bianchi Tour de France have much wider levers. I believe they were only made for a year or so. I have seen another 53 Bianchi Campione del Mundo with the wider levers as well. My recollection is that the levers are rivited to the body and are not easily dissassembled. I have seen Universal 61 sets with both lever end profiles.

Kevin Stimpson Darien, CT

-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-admin@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-admin@bikelist.org]On Behalf Of Chuck Schmidt Sent: Wednesday, November 20, 2002 3:04 PM To: 'Classic Rendezvous' Subject: [CR]NOW:Universal brake levers WAS:PR Bianchi on eBay

Kevin Stimpson wrote:
>
> My 1951 Bianchi Paris Roubaix also came with Universal Mod. 50 levers, and
> originally I believe, with only half hoods. I too question the levers and
> hoods on the Bianchi up for auction.

Yes, Gino's bike has the half hoods. The Universal mod.51 levers came with the full hoods.

Interestingly the mod.50 was replaced within a year by the mod.51 which remained pretty much unchanged till the mid-1960s from what I can tell.

Anyone have any opinions or ideas when the lever shown on the auction bike came out? I had originally thought that it came with the intro of the mod.Super 68 (1968) but a couple of others have bikes a little earlier (mid-60s) with these levers without the triangular shape at the bottom.

Chuck Schmidt
SoPas, SoCal